Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Finland)

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The Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MFA) is a ministry in the Finnish Government and is responsible for preparing and implementing the government's foreign policy.

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[edit] Organisation

The ministry had a total budget in 2007 of 992 million euros, of which 185 million covered the ministry's operating costs and 630 million (0.43% of the Finnish gross national income) was allocated to international development. It employs approximately 1700 people (of whom 1100 are women) and maintains 97 overseas offices housing foreign missions. Since 1987 the ministry has been concentrated in the Katajanokka district of Helsinki.

Three government ministers have portfolios relating to the ministry:

  • Minister for Foreign Affairs, who is in overall political control of the ministry
  • Minister for Foreign Trade and Development
  • Minister of Nordic Cooperation

The most senior civil servant is the Secretary of State, and is assisted by four Under-Secretaries of State with responsibilities allocated as follows:

  • Administrative, Legal and Protocol Affairs
  • Foreign and Security Policy, Communications and Culture
  • External Economic Affairs
  • International Development Cooperation and Development Policy

Below these, the ministry is divided into twelve departments:

  • Political Department
  • Department for External Economic Relations
  • Department for Development Policy
  • Department for Europe
  • Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia;
  • Department for the Americas and Asia;
  • Department for Africa and the Middle East.
  • Department for Global Affairs
  • Legal Department
  • Department for Administrative Affairs
  • Department for Communication and Culture
  • Protocol Department

Outside of these departments there are two specialised units:

  • Unit for Internal Auditing
  • Unit for Policy Planning and Research

[edit] Current Ministers

The ministers, as of 4 April 2008, are:

  • Minister for Foreign Affairs - Alexander Stubb.
  • Minister for Foreign Trade and Development - Paavo Väyrynen
  • Minister of Nordic Cooperation - Jan Vapaavuori, who also holds the office of Minister of Housing.

The current Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is Pertti Torstila.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

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